Seal assembly



Jan- 1, 1946- J. R. sNYDER 2,392,198

. SEAL ASSEMBLY Filed Aug. 5, 1944 /giw Jdcab Bash J'zziyarerl I Patternedl Jan. l, 1946 SEAL ASSEMBLY Jacob Rush Snyder, ClevelandLOhio, assignor to Thompson Products, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application August s, 1944, serial No. 548,204

l resulting in a very simple and effective seal as- 12 Claims. This invention relates lto improvements in seal -assemblies for use iniluidiiow control devices and the like.

More particularly, the invention relates to seal assemblies having endsealing faces, side wall sealing faces, and expander devices to radially extend said side wall sealing faces which seal assemblies are especially adapted to seal the ports and movable. valve members of selector valves,

quick disconnect couplings, shut-oir the like.

.Difficulty .has been experienced ineffectively sealing fluid control devices in vehicles-of various types, and particularly in airplanes. In airplanes, for example, the internal and external pressures which the seal must withstand may vary considerably. Furthermore, the seal may be subjected to temperatures ranging from -80 F. to 250 F., since valves and couplings in aircraft must accommodate fluids such as aromatic` fuels like gasoline, hot oil, hydraulic fluids, and the like. Such variations. from normal temperatures result in considerable expansion or contraction of the seal, with consequent loss of sealing eiliciency. Prior known sealing assemblies utilized deformable rubber seal surfaces that had to be heavily biased in order to insure a tight seal. Such heavy biasvalves, and

- ing resulted in -rapid wearing of the seal surfaces, 'and in increased resistance to operation of the valve member being sealed. Such heavy biasing, moreover, resulted in increasing the inherent tendency of-the rubber seal surface to adherel thedeformable seal sections are thin, soft easily ldeformable materials such as soft synthetic rubbers can be employed, and this feature taken together withother features ofthe invention hereinafter described, permits a light biasing pressure to be employedin obtaining a perfect seal, so that the turning or sliding torque is kept at a minimum g and damage to the sealing means is avoided.

.With the construction of the present invention, only a single biasing means is required to press the two seals in directions normal to each other,

sembly.

It is an object of this invention to provide a seal assembly requiring only light pressure. for ef fective sealing.

It is another object of this invention to provide a seal assembly developing only a very low torque between relatively movable members to which the assembly is applied.

It is a further object of thisA invention to provide .a seal that functions efficiently whether subjected to low pressures or high pressures.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a seal assembly in which the effect of expansion or contraction due to temperature changes is minimized to a. point at which it is not detrimental to the efilciency of the sealing means.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a seal assembly in which the tendency of the sealing material to adhere to relatively movable valvel members is so reduced asto bring the break-away torque down to a very low value and avoid damage to the sealing material.

It is also an object of this invention to prowde a seal which is eflicient regardless of wide variations in the biasing thereof.

It is-.an additional object of this invention to provide a sealing assembly having a single biasing means to press two seals each in a direction normal to the other into sealing engagement with its respective sealed member.

Other and further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following descriptions and pressure;

Figure 5 is atransverse sectional view ofy a slightly modified sealing assembly applied to a quick disconnect coupling of the slide gate type;

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view of another modied form of seal assembly applied to a selector valve having a conical plug; and

Figure 7 is an enlarged detailed exploded secother edge of the retainer II.

x turing tolerances of the lip I4.

tional view of the sealing elements of the modiiled seal assemblyshown in Figure 6.

Referring to Figure 2, the seal assembly is indicated vgenerally at I `and comprises a rigid seal backing or retainer member II,' preferably composed of metal, which is generally annular or cylindrical in shape and has one end face I2 formed to accommodate a cylindrical valve plug or the like. An annular sealing member I3 is bonded by cementing, vulcanizing, or the like to,

the end face I2 of the retainer I I, and a resillent annular sealing lip I4 is similarly bonded to the The sealing lip I4 is triangular in cross section, preferably with one angle a right angle` so that the outer periphery of the lip will be substantially flush with, `and a cylindrical extension of, the outer periphery of the retainer II. The inner face I5 of the annular lip I4 extends at an angle of preferably less than 45 from the outer face of the lip. The angle as shown in the drawing is about 30.- As will be clear, the retainer II and the seals I3 and I4 form a sealing unit which may readily be mounted in a iiuid control device' without requiring separate insertion of the sealing means.

An annular pressing follower or expander ring It is provided to pass within the lip` I4, and has a beveled edge II substantially corresponding to the angle of the inner face I5of the lip I4. The opposite face of the expander I8 is formed with aperipheral iiange I8.' A coil spring I9 is provided of a size to lt within the flange I3 and seat against the expander I6. A snap ring 20 is provided to act as an abutment member for the other end of the spring I9. The ring 20 may be inserted in a groove or against a shoulder formed in the wall of a port to be sealed by the lip I4. It will be obvious that other resilient or biasing means than the spring I9 may bev employed, such, for example, as a spring washer, and that the snap ring 20 may be replaced by other abutment means, such as a shoulder in the wall of the port member.

asumen is forced into proper It will be clear from the description of the seal assembly shown in Figure 2, together with the showings in Figures l, 3 and 4, that when the elements are assembled in a selector valve, quick disconnect coupling, or similar fluid control device, the expander I6 is urged by the spring I9 toward the retainer II, and by means of the contact between the bevel I1 and the face I5 of `the lip I4 not only brings the `seal I3 into sealing engagement with the valve member but expands the lip I4 so that the outer peripheral face there.

of seals against the wall of the port in which the assembly is mounted.l As the expander IB is moved toward the retainer Il, there-is a camming or wedging action of the bevel I1 against the angled face I5 of the lip I4 which continues until the pressure of the outer face of 'the lip ,f I4 against the port wall becomes great enough to prevent further movement of the expander I8 toward the retainer II. I

'Ihe expander I6' does not contact the retainer Il, the lip I4 and expander I6 being so proportioned that the expander I8 always has its bevel I1 in expanding contact with the angled face I5, and thus acts as an automatic compensator for shrinkage, permanent set, ory loose manufacyThe flange I8 has a. sliding since, as shown, 'it Vpresents a broad surface in contact with the port wall 23, tilting or cocklng proximately 50 to 70, C scale, so that it will easily deform into good sealing contact with the port to be sealed even when urged thereagalnst with only light pressure.

The seal assembly ydescribed is shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4 as inserted in a selector cock, an annular groove 2l being provided in a port wall 23 of the selector cock casing to accommodate the snap ring 20 which serves as an abutment member for the spring I9. A rotatable cylindrical cut-off plug or valve 22 having an opening 22a for registration with the port is provided in the selector cock, and the seal ring I3 seals against this plug 22 and about the opening 22a. The sealing lip I4 seals against the port wall 23 when expanded by the expander I6 under the.I

pressure of the spring I9 or other biasing means,

as shown in Figures 1 and 4, although there may be a slight clearance between the lip and the Wall 23 when the spring I9 is not urging the expander I6 toward the retainer II, as shown in Figure 3, l

Since seals of selector cocks may be subjected to cross pressure, that is, pressure between the outsidev of the plug and the housing, at ltimes when there may be zero pressure or vacuum on the inside of the seal assembly, it is very important that the outer diameter wall of the seal I3 nt neatly in the port 23, preferably parallel with the port wall, but in any event being shaped so that such cross pressure in the space between the plug and housing around the seal cannot forceits Way between the plug and the seal I3. With the construction c1' this invention a sealing engagement is provided which prevents the cross pressure from blowing by the seal, and yet requires the use of only a relatively light biasing pressureV to accomplish this desired sealing. The fact that only light pressure is required contributes to low turning torque `for the plug, thereby increasing the life ofthe seal I3 and adding to the ease of operation of the selector cock or ther l iiuid control device.

In Figure 5, the invention is shown as applied to a quick disconnect coupling in which the cutoff member for each of the cooperating coupling member is an apertured gate or plate |22 slid.. able relative to the bore axis to open or close extending into the aperture orf the otherplate I22'to prevent relative sliding movement between the plaltes. semblies are provided, one in each coupling member. Since the assemblies and coupling members y tit in the port. and

are identical, a description of the assembly inl one coupling member will be sumcient for clearness. An abutment shoulder |20 is provided in the port of the coupling member. on which the end of the spring I9 bears, instead of the snap ring 20 provided in the first-described form of the invention. A metal or 'other rigid material retainer III is provided, similar to the retainer AII of the first-described form, but with the edge sealing engagement with In this modification, two seal asl: conmungthe mung ring n being nur to con. form to the plate |22 instead of dlshed to'conform with the contour of the cylindrical plug 22,

The sealing ring I3 seals against the cut-olf plate' valve |22 and the sealing lip I4 seals against the port wall 23 in the same manner as described in connection with the rst form of the invention. The ring I3, retainer III, and lip of the invention. The other edge of the retainer 2I I, however, is formed with a plurality Uf concentric V-shped grooves 2l therein providing gripping serrations. The lip' I4 is formed with a v base portion Ila to abut the grooved edge of the retainer 2II, and which may be deformed into the grooves 2l by relatively light pressure. The

lip- I4 with its base Ila in this modification is not bonded to the retainer 2| I. The expander in this form of the invention takes the form of an annular member 2I6 having an axial flange or guide portion 2I6a with an outer diameter corresponding to the inner diameter` of the retainer 2II at its grooved edge, and a radial flange 2I6b of such diameter that its outer periphery contacts the angled face I5 of the lip Il in substantially the same way as the beveled edge I1 ofthe expander IB in the previously described forms of the invention. The spring I 9 and snap ring 20 seated in a groove 2i in the port wall are provided as in the first form of the invention, although, as already pointed out, other equivalent elements may be substituted. 'I'his modified form of the invention is shown as applied to a selector valve having a hollow conical plug 222 against which the sealing member I3 sealingly/engages with the sealing lip I 4 sealing against the port wal1123, the port extending at an angle so as to be perpendicular to the wall f the plug 222.

The operation of this niodiilcaltion of the invention is substantially similar to that ofthe other two forms described.

The retainer 2II is inserted in the port with the sealing member I3 engaging the plug 222, the sealing lip I4 is inserted with its face Ila adjacent the grooved edge of the retainer, and the expander 2I6 is positioned with its guide portion 2I6a telescoped in the retainer 2II and the face Ma, and its radial flange 2I6b contacting the inner face I5 of the lip I4. The spring I9 bears on the flange 2I6b. The pressure of the pring I9 or its equivalent forces the base I4'a in o the grooves 24 of the retainer, effectively sealing the junction between the retainer and the lip. The sealing member I3, of course, is urged into effective sealing engagement with the plug. At

the same time, the edge of the flange 2I6b of theA 'sure of the radial flange 2I6b.

tending to cause it expand toward the port wall 23 and into the grooves 24 under the pres- In the drawing, the clearance between the port wall 23 and the elements of the seal assembly, and the thickness of the sealingelement I3, have been exaggerated for clearness. The thickness of the seal member I3 may vary considerably, ali.

though it has been found that for a port of 1 or 2 inches in diameter, a thickness of the order of 31g of an inch for the sealing member I3 is very l satisfactory.

The retainer may be, and preferably is, coated l with a thin layer of the rubber or rubber-like material of which the sealing members I3 and Il are formed. This provides a protective coating for the retainer and increases the adhesion of the sealing members to the retainer. In addition, the cost of removing flash resulting from bonding the sealing material to the retainer in a mold is reduced, since such ash need be removed only from the outer edges, which are inexpensive to trim.

'I'he use of a relatively soft material for the cient sealing is obtained even though the biasing force may vary through a wide range. Tests indicate that the biasing force may vary almost 100% and perfect sealing still be obtained. This feature is particularly important in selector cocks and valves, since perfect sealing will be obtained at all ports even though the biasing force of the seal assembly in one port varies from that of the assembly in another port. Similarly, slight variations in the clearance between the plug or valve and the various ports will not elect the efficiency of the seal, since such variations will be well within the compensatory range of the biasing pressure which effects perfect sealing.

I claim as follows:

l. A seal assembly comprising an annular cie` formable seal, a rigid cylindrical'member having the inner and outer faces of the retainer 2II respectively. so that the radially inner and'outer edges of the face Ila are overlapped by the inner and outer sides of the retainer, The guide por. tion 2I8a of the expander 2I8 overlies Ithe iunc` tion of the retainer 2II and the base Ila and prevents expansion of the base radially inwardly,

a deformable sealing lip of triangular cross-sec` tion having its base bonded to the other edge of said retainer, an annular expander having a bevel on one edge corresponding to the angle of the inner face of said lip and bearing on said face, and resilient means urging said expander toward said retainer.

3. A seal assembly for a ported member and a movable member to open and close the port of said ported member, comprising an annular seal retainer, a rst sealing member on one edge of said retainer, a second sealing member contacting the other edge of said` retainer, said other edge having a plurality of grooves therein, said second sealing member having a base deformable into said grooves and a 'lip with an inner face flaring 4radially outwardly, a collar 'member having a body portion telescopingly engaged in said retainer andbase and overlying the Junction therebetween and also having a radial iiange with its outer edgecontacting said flaring inner facev of said lip. and biasing means urging said collar member toward said first sealing member to press said first sealing member against said movable member and to press the base of said v second sealing member into said retainer grooves and expand said lip by the coaction of said ange and said flaring inner lip face.

4. A sealing lassembly comprising a deformable annular sealing member, a cylindrical retainer having one edge bonded to said sealing member,

a plurality of grooves in the otheredge of said retainer, an annular deformable sealing lip having a base and an innerv face lying at an angle between theinner and outer peripheries of said lip, an annular-guide member having a collar telescopingly engaging the inner peripheries of said retainer and base' and overlying the junction thereof and also having a radial flange portion with its outer edge bearing on said inner lip face, and biasing means urging said guide member toward said retainerto press said sealing mem-- second sealing means into sealing condition and position. y

6. In a ilowcontrol device embodying a member having a port and a movable member to open and close the port, a sealing assembly for said port comprising a first sealing means for said movable member, a second sealing means for said port in opposed relation to said flrstsealing means and having an outer sealing face and anA inner wedging face at an angle to said outer face, anexpander, and a biasing member urging said expander against said wedging face to expand said outer face to seal said port and tor urge said first sealing means into sealing engagement with said movable member.

7. A seal for a flow control device having a port and a movable port opening and closing member, comprising a seal retainer having one edge shaped to accommodate said movable member, a resilient to urge said first sealing means into sealing seal for said member on said retainer edge, a

resilient sealing lip for said port on the opposite edge of said retainen'said lip having a port sealing surface, a retainer contacting surface, anda wedging surface extending at an angle between ward'said tlrst seal.

' asoman the port sealing surface vof said lip outwardly to seal said port and urging said resilient seal into.

' sealing engagement with said movable member.

8. A sealing assembly for a ported member having a movable member to open and close'the port, comprising an annular seal retainer. a sealing member for said movable member secured-to one edge of said retainer, a sealing lip for said lo'port on the other edge of sad retainer having an outer sealing face and an inner face forming an angle with the free edge of said sealing face, an annular member contacting said inner face and upon movement toward said retainer expanding said sealing lip to seal said port, and resilientmeans urging said annular member toward said retainer to expand said sealing lip andurge said sealing member against said movable member.

9. A seaiassembly comprising an abutmentmember, an annular'pressing member, a coiled spring with one end bearing on said abutment member and the'other end bearing on said pressing member, an annular sealing lip having an inner face flared circumferentially outwardly and receiving said pressing member, an annular retainer having one edge engaging said sealing lip, and a sealing ring'on the other edge of said retainer.

' 10. A seal for a movable valve member and a port wallcomprising a sleeve assembly including athin-sectioned axially deformable portion on one end and a thin-sectioned radially deformable portion onthe other end, an expander ring for radially expanding the radially deformablev portion, and a spring acting on the expander ring to axially load the axially deformable end and to radially load the radially deformable end whereby temperature changesof the assembly will only slightly vary the dimensions of the deformable portions due to the thin sectional dimensions thereof.

11. A seal assembly for a flow control device having a port and a movable member to open and close the port, comprising a first seal for said movable member, a second seal of annular form for said -port in opposed relation to said first seal and radially expansible into circumferential sealing engagement with said port, an annular expander for said second seal having a portion engaging the inner periphery thereof and having a skirt portion snugly engaging said port, and biasing means urging said expander toward said movable member to press said first seal thereagainst and to expand said second seal. l

12. A sealv assembly for a movable valve member and a port wall comprising a i'lrst axially deformable seal forl said valve member, a second radially deformable seal for said port wall, and a sleeve slidably engaging said port wall and adapted to deform said firstseal axially and second seal radially upon sliding movement' to- .mcnv RUSH sNYDEa. 

